Draft mechanism



J. 0. NEIKIRK.

DRAFT MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 1.6, 1920.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

' to this time has had formed at the rear.

JOHN O. NEIKIRK, 0F LOMBARD, ILLINOIS.

DRAFT MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Application filed January 16, 1920. Serial No. 351,912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN O. NEIKIRK, a citizen of the United States, residing'at Lombard, in the county of Dupage and State ofIllinois, and useful Improvements in Draft Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to draft mechanism.

' One object of the invention is to eliminate the necessity for using'a separate carrier iron which cooperates with a striking iron to assist in holding the coupler in proper horizontal position.

Another object is to obviate the use of fastenings which heretofore have been used to hold the carrier iron in position with respect to the striking iron, and which at times become loose and displaced, causing the loss of the carrier iron and resultingin partial dropping of the associated coupler and attendant troubles occasioned thereby.

Another object is to provide a single integrally-formed casting which acts both as a striking iron and carrier iron, and one which is adapted to meet all the requirements of severe service conditions.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the, arrangement disclosed on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view, parts being shown in section, of draft rigging embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same showing the coupler and yoke in side elevation; and,

Fig. 3 is a reduced view of the combined integrally-formed striking iron with the integrally-formed carrier lron, as viewed along the line 33 of Fig. 1, the coupler shank being shown in section.

Heretofore in draft rigging it has been the practice to provide a striking iron, the lower side portions of which are bridged by a separate carrier iron. It has been necessary to have the carrier iron separate and removable from the striking iron to permit the application and removal of the coupler, because the shank of the coupler as built up end thereof an enlargement providing shoulders to engage the front inwardly-turned ends of the yoke arms. This enlarged portion. of the coupler shank is too large 'to have invented certain new pass through the opening of -the striking' l iron when the carrier iron is in its normal position. Accordingly, it has always been necessary to remove the carrier iron before applying or withdrawing the coupler with respect to its normal operative position. This type of coupler shank,however, is becoming obsolete, the new or improved coupler shank now being plain throughout its length without any shoulders formed thereon. In View of this fact, I propose to provide a striking iron having formed integrallytherewith a lower arm which acts as the carrier iron and which as a result of the integral construction will remain in its regular normal position at all times without the use of troublesome fastening means. In this connection, a great deal of difficulty has been experienced in retaining the carrier irons in operative position due largely to the bolts or.other fastenings being jarred or knocked out of locking position on account of rough usage and other extreme service conditions. By means of this integral construction, however, such disadvantages are obviated. With the old arrangement the procedure was to lift the coupler into operative position, then apply the carrier iron to hold the coupler in position, whereas with the new arrangement the operation is to enter the coupler longitudinally through the opening formed-in the striking iron and then secure the coupler to the draft gear by a horizontal key.

Referring to the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that I have shown a draft rigging including spaced draft sills 10, between which is mounted ayoke 11, the front portion of which includes a hood 12, the sides of which are provided with elongated openings 13 for the reception of a broad fiat key 14: which serves as the connection between the yoke 11 and the shank 15 of the coupler 16. It will be understood that the draft arms 10 are also provided withelongated slots 17, through which the key 14 may be applied and withdrawn. It will be noted that the coupler here shown is of the new type, that is, the shank 15 is plain throughout, having no enlarged portion at its rear end which heretofore has cooperated with inwardly-turned ends or shoulders at the front end of the yoke. In view of the fact that the new coupler shank has no enlargement, as above mentioned, I propose to obviate the use of the carrier iron which heretofore has been connected to the striking casting in many different ways. These separable carrier irons and the means for securing same to the striking iron have always been a source of trouble in that the fastenings and the carrier irons have become loosened and detached from the striking irons, causing the carrier irons to be disconnected from the striking iron, occasioning the dropping of the coupler.

In addition it is well understood-that a ,coupler is to be maintained at a standard height in order that couplings may be made. If it happens that the carrier irons parts are displaced or lost, the coupler on the particular car will drop to such an extent that it is impossible to couple the car in the train. As a matter of fact, this happens Very often in practice and it is found that at the last moment it is necessary to leave a car out of thetf ain because it can" not be coupled into stated. 7 i To overcome these disadvantages I have provided a striki'ng'iron 18 which has integrally formed therewith 'a lower arm 19 the train for the reason which connects or bridges the lower portions of the sides 20 of the striking'iron, thereby forming a fixed horizontal support for the coupler which at all times will maintain the coupler at the standard height. The shank 15 of the coupler being app ied to and withdrawn from its normal" operative position, is passed horizontallythrou h the opening 2l formed by the four wa ls of the striking casting l8, greatly simplifying the assem ing and disassembling of the in, question. This striking iron is secured to the draft sills 10 adjacent the head of the coupler 16.

'By means of this striking casting having the integrally-formed lower arm, an ar-.

rangement is provided whereby all of the advantages of the carrieriron are retained and all of the disadvantages overcome. At 1 the same time a cooperation between the yoke coupler and striking iron is provided whic greatly facilitates assembling and disassembling of the parts, and which is adapted to meet all of therequirements for 1' successful commercial operation.

of the striking-casting, and this is the form I have shown in the drawing, but I do not wish to confine my invention to the integral striking castingv and "carry iron, as it is readily seen that beneficial results could be obtained by making the carry iron separate but permanently attachable to the car structure.

It is my intentlon to cover all modifications of the invention falling within the spirit'and' scope of the followingclaims.

I claim: 1. In draft mechanism, the combination of a striking iron having integrally formed therewith means acting directly as a horizontal support for a coupler and forming an opening through which the coupler shank is applied, and a coupler the shank of which is plain and is applied longitudinally through said opening in the striking iron independently of any removable parts cooperatingwith said opening for restricting the size thereof, while at the same time maintaining the coupler shank at the standard height and the standard clearance at the-sides.

2. In draft mechanism, the combination of a permanent part of a car structure forming a direct horizontal su port for a coupler and providing a wal ed opening through which the coupler shank is applied, and a coupler the shank of which is. plain and is applied longitudinally through said opening independently of any removable parts cooperating with said opening for restricting the size thereof, while at the same time maintaining the coupler shank at the standard height and the standard clearance at the sides.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 13th day of J anua-ry 1920.

JOH ornnnqnk. 

